


Hybridization

by TekkaWekka, VorpalGirl



Series: Demonology-verse [5]
Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Alternate Universe - Succubi & Incubi, Blood, Mildly Dubious Consent, Multi, Porn With Plot, Smut, Succubi & Incubi, Vampires
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-23
Updated: 2017-05-15
Packaged: 2018-03-02 22:56:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 18,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2828993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TekkaWekka/pseuds/TekkaWekka, https://archiveofourown.org/users/VorpalGirl/pseuds/VorpalGirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"While Sephiroth would never call his life idyllic, discovering the incubus Cloud Strife had certainly caused a turn for the better." Set in and inspired by AsreonInfusion's "Demonology" AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Dependence

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AsreonInfusion](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AsreonInfusion/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Demonology](https://archiveofourown.org/works/2541128) by [AsreonInfusion](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AsreonInfusion/pseuds/AsreonInfusion). 



> This fic won't make much sense without reading AsreonInfusion's "Demonology" first. Go do it! Smut and subtle worldbuilding await you!

While Sephiroth would never call his life idyllic, discovering the incubus Cloud Strife had certainly caused a turn for the better. Cloud was a more satisfying sexual partner than any of the other visitors to Sephiroth’s bed, and his freely-given blood more nourishing than sterilized bags or struggling prey. Sephiroth’s scores in VR training reached heights unseen since the days before Genesis’s mutiny, while lower-ranked SOLDIERs and Science Department technicians alike breathed sighs of relief at the improvement of the General’s mood.

Of course, happiness never came without complications.

At first, there was only Zack frowning in Sephiroth’s office, crossing his arms and threatening retribution if Sephiroth endangered Cloud in any way. More bluster than actual concern, and after a week without Cloud suffering anything worse than a hickey, Zack returned to his playful self.

Then Cloud’s fellow infantrymen realized Cloud received special attention from Sephiroth. His friendship with Zack and Zack’s determination Cloud would make SOLDIER was already widely known, but receiving the notice of two First Class SOLDIERs changed Cloud from a figure of admiration to the target of venomous envy. Cloud waved off Zack and Sephiroth’s concerns, but the storm of gossip centered on just how young Strife earned the General’s gaze grew and grew, until one day, a particularly stupid Second Class made a particularly stupid comment in earshot of Sephiroth.

“Do you know anything about Strife?” asked the idiot. “I suppose being the General lets you make any blondie you want into your fucktoy, though I wouldn’t choose the army bicycle.”

The horrified silence and wide-eyed stares from his audience was the idiot Second Class’s first hint to how thoroughly he’d shat on his own career. When he realized, far too late, that the worst possible person stood behind him, Sephiroth found grim satisfaction in how quickly the 2nd Class flooded the air with fear.

Somehow, when Cloud met him in his office later that day, he found the whole situation funny. He laughed, standing in front of Sephiroth’s desk, while Sephiroth sat sprawled in his chair.

“Did he piss himself?”

“He did not,” replied Sephiroth. He glanced at the clock on his computer. He’d assigned the Second Class enough punitive training to make Sephiroth himself vomit from exhaustion, and only three hours of a week-long sentence had passed. “Though by now, he likely has.”

Cloud’s smile faded, and he crossed his arms.

“In the long run,  this won’t help. It just confirms what everyone’s thinking.”

“I will not allow the men to speak in such an insubordinate manner.”

“Yeah, I get that, but if he’d been talking about you with anyone else, would you have punished him that hard?”

Sephiroth scowled and huffed hard enough to stir his bangs.

“He called you my fucktoy.”

Cloud blinked, and then his smile spread across his face, slow and warm. He unfolded his arms and strode behind Sephiroth’s desk, and when Sephiroth turned to face him, Cloud slid into Sephiroth’s lap, straddling him. Purring, he leaned in and brushed his lips against Sephiroth’s ear.

“Am I?’ he whispered. “Am I your fucktoy?”

Sephiroth sat as still as if Cloud had cast a mastered Stop spell on him. He heard Cloud swallow next to his ear, and when the incubus pulled away to look at Sephiroth’s face, his blond eyebrows were raised in concern.

“I have no idea what you want me to say in response to that,” said Sephiroth.

Cloud laughed, then, and Sephiroth felt all tension leave him. The blond touched their foreheads together, grinning as he stole a light kiss from Sephiroth.

“You say, ‘you are my fucktoy, Strife,’ and then throw me on the desk before tearing my clothes off for wild sex,” he said. “But the afterglow we share together makes it clear I’m a _little_ more to you than that.”

Their evening did not follow that plan to the letter, but it was close enough to leave Cloud a purring mess in Sephiroth’s bed. Not until days later did Sephiroth realize his actions gave the impression he saw Cloud as more than a tasty sextoy. The epiphany struck him in the middle of a sparring session with Zack, and he whooped as he scored a hit on Sephiroth’s shoulder.

“Hah! Gotcha — oh shit!”

The aftermath of the match, with Zack laughing and proclaiming “worth it” while holding a wad of tissue to his bleeding nose, lightened Sephiroth’s mood for an hour afterwards. Yet once the battle high wore off and Zack left the building to visit Aerith (“Oh, she’s gonna fuss over me, Seph, and it’ll be so cute!”), there was nothing to distract Sephiroth from his thoughts.

His actions gave Cloud the impression Sephiroth wanted more than blood and sex from him, and even if Sephiroth wanted only that, the sheer frequency of their sessions implied Sephiroth depended on the incubus for erotic and gustatory pleasure. The mere idea rose the hairs on the back of his neck; the people Sephiroth depended on had an ugly record of leaving.

Cloud was different, though. Unlike Professor Gast, Genesis, and Angeal, Cloud depended on him as well. No one else could satisfy Cloud’s mingled lust and hunger like Sephiroth; Cloud had made that quite clear, through sheer volume and repetition. Sephiroth shoved his pointless worries aside and resolved to enjoy himself. Why waste his time worrying, when he was the only man on Gaia able to repeatedly satisfy an incubus?

Unfortunately, the world didn’t care whether Sephiroth worried or not. The envy and insults continued, no matter how Cloud, Zack, and Sephiroth reacted. One night, three men from Cloud’s unit cornered him in a hallway, and if Zack hadn’t shown up and went off on the perpetrators with more fury than a runaway security mech, Cloud would have been forced to defend himself.

“I wasn’t scared,” Cloud told him later. “You’d be surprised at how useful incubus powers are for self-defense. But I was waiting for Zack, and if he’d shown up a second later, he would’ve seen what I really am.”

Sephiroth let Zack decide on the punishment that time. He never heard what, exactly, Zack deemed suitable discipline for three men ganging up on an unarmed man, but it never happened again.

Sometimes, Sephiroth wondered if he should be worried about First Class SOLDIER Zack Fair.

For a month, the world was quiet. AVALANCHE went underground, the envy towards Cloud subsided into gossip, Genesis and his fellow mutineers continued hiding, and Sephiroth had little to do except train and teach. He didn’t trust the peace for a moment. Not even Cloud agreeing to try monogamy, and the pleasure of knowing Cloud would depend on him even more, distracted Sephiroth from his certainty that ugliness was around the corner.

When AVALANCHE bombed a mako excavation site, Sephiroth was _relieved_. The attack had been sloppy — he’d heard intel Elfé was sick and her strategy suffering — and Shinra was certain a quick investigatory mission by their grand General would crush the vicious terrorists once and for all. The night before he left, Cloud and Sephiroth said their goodbyes privately.

“You’ll be gone for a whole week, huh?” asked Cloud. He rested his head on Sephiroth’s bare chest. “I can’t remember the last time I went an entire week without feeding.”

“You can manage it.”

“Yeah.” Cloud wrapped his arm around Sephiroth’s waist. “I’ll need you as soon as you get back, though.”

“I’ll have you as soon as I return.”  

Sephiroth felt Cloud smirk against his skin.

“What if you’re injured? The Science Department will want to keep you under observation.”

“I’ll call Lazard’s tailor and have him sew me up.”

“If you’re tired?”

“That’s what SOLDIER stims are for.”

Cloud gave an elaborate stretch.

“You might be able to match me, then.”

“I look forward to it.”

Cloud propped himself up on his elbow and met Sephiroth’s eye.

“You just want to see what a desperate incubus is like.”

Inspired, Sephiroth rolled over, pressed Cloud onto his belly, and gave him a taste of what their reunion would involve. The next morning, Sephiroth left feeling potent and irresistible, certain no one could stand before him.

Then the sloppy bombing turned into a decoy for an attack on a convoy of SOLDIERs returning from leave at the Golden Saucer. By the time Sephiroth secured transportation to the site of the second attack, AVALANCHE was long gone. Precious days were lost investigating the scene; the week came and went. Then another week was lost tracking down false leads. Sephiroth sent terse emails to Cloud and received careful responses. Once he found AVALANCHE’s hideout, Sephiroth spent an ugly week fighting up a mountain, plagued by random attacks of Ravens, who proved much too late to be the missing SOLDIERs. Elfé showed her face, and after days spent slaughtering the warped shells of men he’d trained and commanded, Sephiroth had neither admiration nor patience for her.

Only Fuhito unleashing the last of the Ravens allowed Elfé to escape her overdue death. By the time he cut his way out of the knot of former SOLDIERs, the leaders of AVALANCHE were gone. Sephiroth was left with nothing to do except stare at the cooling bodies of his kills until the Turks arrived to clean up the carnage.

By the time Sephiroth returned to the Shinra Building, he’d spent a month without Cloud.

Forget paperwork, forget the mandatory post-mission briefing with Lazard. Shinra’s propaganda machine would ensure not a word of this awful month would ever reach the masses of young men pining over a place in SOLDIER. They’d never know what could happen to even the strongest of men, and Sephiroth could not safeguard or rescue them. Sephiroth stalked through the building, looking for Cloud, the only man still within his power to help.

Cloud was not in the barracks.

Or in the gyms.

Nor was he answering his phone.

Sephiroth breathed in. Cloud could be out on a mission of his own. Despite all the cruel jokes, he did not exist solely for Sephiroth’s pleasure, and could be any numbers of places where he couldn’t return a call. This called for venturing to his apartment, washing aways the remains of the mission, and coordinating with Zack to acquire intelligence on Cloud’s location. Worrying would only hinder the process of finding and feeding Cloud. Sephiroth headed to his apartment without allowing himself further thought.

Later, Sephiroth would excuse himself by claiming he obviously sensed Cloud and only Cloud in his apartment and let his guard down. The mental, emotional, and physical fatigue from that failure of a mission had nothing to do with how easily Cloud jumped him the second Sephiroth opened the door. Shaking hands wound into Sephiroth’s blood-streaked hair, while bare legs wrapped around Sephiroth’s waist until his leather coat creaked. He dropped Masamune, smearing the dirt and blood on his hands onto Cloud’s flushed skin.

Cloud tugged on Sephiroth’s hair until he gazed into his eyes, and Sephiroth swallowed at the sight of the pure hunger within.

“Clothes. Off. NOW.”

Sephiroth had wanted a desperate incubus, and now he had one.

What memories he had afterwards were blurry, mere snapshots capturing a fraction of the hours enduring Cloud’s lust.

Kicking the door closed.

Cloud ripping off his coat, the reinforced leather no more than wet paper in his grip.

Holding Cloud down on the bed with one hand while searching for the lube with the other, knowing the starving incubus would impale himself on Sephiroth’s cock without the slightest preparation if Sephiroth didn’t force the issue.

Struggling to catch his breath while thrusting into Cloud’s wet heat.

Cloud atop him, inside him, wings caressing his face while Cloud wracked his body with inescapable pleasure.

Cloud whimpering and shuddering as he lifted himself off of Sephiroth’s reddened cock. He sank to the bedroom floor, shivering underneath his wings. Sephiroth wondered why Cloud was leaving when he obviously needed more. Then he understood.

_Oh, he’s probably a thrust away from draining me dry._

Cloud moaned, still hungry. Sephiroth looked down the length of his limp body and saw the shredded remnants of his leather pants littering the bed. On a hunch, he felt around and found his phone.

Thank Shiva for speed dial.

“Hello, Zack here!”

“I need back-up.” His voice sounded hoarse, and it hurt to form the words. He must have been screaming for who knows how long. “It’s Cloud.”

“Holy — where are you?”

“Apartment.”

“On my way. Hang on!”

Zack sounded close to panic. Idly, Sephiroth hoped he wouldn’t be twitchy enough to accidentally stab Cloud. There was something wrong with his thoughts, but Sephiroth couldn’t put his finger on it.

The second Zack kicked in the door, Cloud rose from the floor and darted into the main room. Sephiroth heard Zack curse in surprise and drop his sword.

“Cloud!? Where are your clothes? Where — are those _wings_?”

“Nnh, Zaack…”

“You’re covered in — oh, wow, what — hey, that’s my! — you’re really good at that…”

Cloud’s purring reached Sephiroth all the way in the bedroom. Zack’s questions grew quieter, and quieter, interrupted by the sound of kisses until the only sound coming from the First Class were breathy moans. Sephiroth supposed it was all very erotic and any other time he might feel some interest, but for now, all he wanted were the emergency blood packs in the freezer. Never had cold, preserved blood sounded so delicious.

Through a supreme effort of will, Sephiroth forced himself to his feet. He stumbled out of the bedroom and past Zack and Cloud on the floor; the two hadn’t even made it to the couch before Cloud started riding him. He ignored his listing front door as he entered the kitchen, zeroing in on his fridge.

Before he even knew he’d opened the freezer, he’d torn open and eaten three bags of blood-slush. Disgusting.

Sephiroth had enough self-control to heat up the fourth one. Returning to the fridge, he drank two protein shakes before checking on his blood.

Cloud’s cries reached a feverish pitch as Sephiroth snipped off the corner of the blood pack for neater drinking. He walked back into the main room, sipping at his blood and watching Cloud tip his head back, eyes clenched shut, lips parted…

Sephiroth looked down and saw his dick still worked. That was welcome news.

Cloud cried out one final time, his wings stretched to their fullest extent as he came on Zack’s face and chest. Zack clutched at his waist, nails digging into Cloud’s skin as the First reached his own peak. With a moan, Cloud collapsed, wings withering into smoke. Zack gasped, swallowed, cleared his throat, and turned to stare up at Sephiroth.

“Did Cloud just tackle me for sex, turn into a demon, and then fall unconscious?”

“He did not turn into a demon.”

“Huh.” Zack shifted, and Cloud murmured, clutching at Zack’s chest. “Are you drinking blood?”

“Yes.”

“Did you call me up here to have sex with him?”

“Yes.”

Zack closed his eyes and sighed.

“Am I about to learn a whole bunch of weird shit?”

“Afraid so.”

“I need,” said Zack, as he slid his softened cock out of Cloud, “a shower. And a drink. A strong one.” He gathered Cloud into his arms, and then jumped to his feet with such ease Sephiroth hated him for a full five seconds. “So does he. So do you. The shower, I mean.”

“I have a large one.”

Cloud slept the deep, impenetrable sleep of the truly exhausted, even after Zack carried him into the shower. Sephiroth’s guilt grew by the minute, and the glare Zack gave him every time he checked Cloud’s pulse only encouraged it. Even after they washed off all the sweat and cum off of Cloud’s skin, Cloud continued sleeping.

Once they were all clean, Zack insisted on wrapping Cloud in Sephiroth’s bathrobe, the incubus all but disappearing into the fabric. Sephiroth scoured his kitchen and found a bottle of brandy for Zack. He joined the other First Class on the couch, and smiled when Cloud stirred and stretched out over both their laps. Zack plucked the brandy from Sephiroth's hands and gulped a fifth of it down.

“So,” said Zack. “Everything you’re about to tell me is probably classified, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

Zack sighed again and tipped the bottle up. After he’d drained it, he looked at the brandy bottle with his eyebrows raised. A First Class would need far more of a far stronger liquor to reach intoxication.

“Might as well begin.”

Zack took the revelation that his good friend and his superior officer were more than human with good grace. At the news of Cloud’s half-incubus blood, he smiled and ruffled the sleeping man’s hair.

“Man, that explains a _lot_ ,” he said. He turned to Sephiroth, his hand still atop Cloud’s hair. “Wait, aren’t you two in a monogamous relationship?”

“Yes.”

The look on Zack’s face did not match his last name.

“So, for the past month, Cloud’s been pretty much starving?”

“Yes.” Sephiroth shifted under Zack’s gaze. “I—”

“And you called me up here, knowing Cloud would have sex with me?” Zack’s scowl grew deeper. “Sephiroth, you know I’m in a monogamous relationship too. I know you do.”

When Sephiroth was much younger, and the Wutai War in its early stages, he’d been inexperienced enough to walk into an ambush. He felt much the same now as he had while watching Wutai soldier after Wutai soldier melt out of the greenery: he could’ve avoided all this, and even if he survived, what happened next would be long, drawn-out, and miserable.

“...Yes.”

Zack’s eyes narrowed, and his entire body took on a red tint. Sephiroth suddenly had empathy for the three SOLDIERs who cornered Cloud all those months ago.

“You know, I don’t understand how someone so fucking smart can be so fucking stupid.”

As Zack listed all of Sephiroth’s selfish decisions and the possible horrific consequences, Sephiroth reminded himself that as Zack’s superior officer, he could order him to shut up. As a man who had just wronged his friend and his lover, Sephiroth was waiting for for Zack to cease verbally ripping him a new one and start literally ripping him a new one.

“And finally, what do you think would’ve happened if you’d been hurt?” asked Zack. He crossed his arms. “If Cloud woke up from being so horny and found you near death? Do you have any idea of how much you would’ve hurt him? Or the sheer amount of _shit_ he’d have been in?”

Sephiroth bowed his head, gazing at the incubus resting his head in his lap. He ran his fingers through the oddly-soft spikes, only to blink when he felt the tension in Cloud’s scalp.

“Are you awake?”

“Hey! Spike, you all right?” Zack reached down and pulled Cloud into a sitting position, revealing the sheepish look on the incubus’s face. “Man, finally! We were worried about you.”

Cloud looked down, fidgeting with the sash of his robe.

“S-sorry.”

Sephiroth and Zack blinked. Cloud glanced at Zack, and then hunched his shoulders.

“I’m so, so, sorry, Zack. I know you love Aerith and I would’ve never come between you, but I was _starving_ and you were so full of life and —”

“Hey, Cloud, that’s enough.” Zack reached out and made Cloud look him in the eye. “I get it, okay? You weren’t in your right mind.” Then he grinned. “But the next time you come on my face, buy me a drink first.”

Cloud reddened with such speed and force Sephiroth swore he heard steam escaping the incubus’s ears. The sound continued, and he realized Cloud was squeaking and sputtering out of sheer embarrassment.

“Hey, I made an incubus blush! That’s gotta be an accomplishment.” Zack leaned back and sighed. “Okay, I am late as hell to meet Aerith. Time to hit the road.”

Sephiroth bowed his head again.

“My apologies, Zack.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll find a way for you to make it up to her,” said Zack. He pushed Cloud into Sephiroth’s lap and hopped up from the couch. “You can start by having a talk,” he added.  

“With Aerith?” asked Sephiroth.

“No, between you two,” said Zack. He strode over to his clothes, sighing at the state of his pants. “Monogamy’s just not gonna work out for you. No need to sugarcoat it.” He caught Cloud bowing his head again. “And it’s not your fault. Can’t help the way you are.”

Zack pulled on the remnants of his shredded clothes, gave the pair a quick salute, and then left. He shoved the front door upright as he left. Cloud returned to bowing his head the second Zack was out of sight, and adding chewing his lip to the signs of self-loathing. Sephiroth placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Are you well?” he asked.

“Yeah.” Cloud leaned against Sephiroth’s bare chest. “Sorry for draining you so much. You all right?”

“You did nothing a large meal could not fix.” Sephiroth closed his eyes. “I am sorry our relationship must end this way.”

Sephiroth prided himself on his reaction times, but he was not prepared for Cloud to grab the sides of his face and force him to look up.

“What the hell, Sephiroth?” Cloud’s eyes were large and liquid, the vivid color of the blue irises magnified by his tears. “You don’t want me anymore?”

A small, muffled sound escaped Sephiroth’s throat.

“Monogamy will not work for us,” he said. His voice was hoarse in a way that he couldn’t attribute to his marathon bout of feeding Cloud. “Being my lover has brought you nothing but trouble, and we know you can find what little I have to offer you elsewhere. You can’t depend on me...”

Cloud stared at him for several long seconds. His eyes widened, and then he relaxed his grip on Sephiroth’s face. Sighing, he touched his forehead to Sephiroth’s.

“Listen to me,” he said. “Sephiroth, I like you.”

Sephiroth froze.

“You are worth my time,” said Cloud. Reaching up, he combed his fingers through Sephiroth’s damp hair. “You’re worth it. I’m not here because I need to be, but because I want to be.”

Sephiroth swallowed, ignoring the pain.

“Is there anything you need?”

Cloud smiled, and then rested his head on Sephiroth’s shoulder.

“To stay here tonight, since I’m not sure I can walk.”

Sephiroth moved his hand from Cloud’s shoulder to the small of his back. Cloud shifted into a more comfortable position, and moments later, the soft sound of his sleeping breath filled Sephiroth’s ears.

The next day, Sephiroth found an enormous floral arrangement and an equally large bill on his desk. Even if he’d had the right to complain, he could not bring himself to do it.

 


	2. Redemption

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day's off to a bad start when Director Lazard forbids Cloud to take the SOLDIER exam. Should Sephiroth tell him the truth? Or does Zack have far more important knowledge to share? In the end, it's up to them to decide whether SOLDIER is worth fighting for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mentions of sex, Lazard's a status-conscious jerk. Other than that, this chapter should be a mellow read.

One month after the incident between Zack and Cloud, Cloud applied to take the SOLDIER exam. Sephiroth feared the results, though not out of concern for Cloud’s safety. As an incubus, Cloud could more than overcome the obstacles of the exam course. Sephiroth suspected hiding his true strength would challenge Cloud more than anything the exam could throw at him.

He feared because he knew the response Cloud would receive. When Cloud knocked on his apartment door, head bowed and a storm brewing in those intense blue eyes, Sephiroth felt no surprise at all. Sephiroth stepped away from the threshold, watching Cloud stalk past him. He stopped in the middle of the main room and curled his fists.

“They said I was too short,” said Cloud. He spoke through gritted teeth. “To try again next year.”

Not the excuse Sephiroth expected. Cloud was near average height, though most SOLDIERs had at least three inches on him. He closed the door before moving to stand next to Cloud.

“Did they disqualify you for any other reason?”

“No.” Cloud shook his head. “I could take it if they had any other reason, any other reason at all, but they literally said ‘You’re perfect except for your height’.”

Sephiroth touched his fingertips to Cloud’s shoulder.

“Then next year, you will be taller and a SOLDIER.”

Cloud whirled to face him. His hands were still in fists, his grip tight enough to bleach his knuckles white.

“What if I’m not?”

Sephiroth blinked.

“A SOLDIER? That’s—”

“Taller!” Cloud looked away, his pale eyebrows knitting together. “What if I’m done growing? Mom always said my dad wasn’t that tall, and she’s pretty short. What if this is my final height, and I can’t get into SOLDIER because I’m not some fucking Behemoth?”

Sephiroth reached out and drew Cloud into his chest, the incubus willingly coming closer. Once Cloud nuzzled against the skin above Sephiroth’s coat straps, Sephiroth allowed his face to relax. Cloud could not see him wonder if he should speak the truth, reveal what Lazard had shared in confidence.

_“Obviously, he could pass the exam.” Lazard leaned forward and rested his chin on his hands. “But we’re treading on rusted plate as it is, and if he makes SOLDIER less than a year after...meeting you, there might be a second mutiny.”_

Joining SOLDIER was Cloud’s oldest dream, while he had known Sephiroth for little over six months. If Cloud knew what held him back from joining SOLDIER, would he stay? He wanted Sephiroth, but he did not need him.

“It is highly unlikely you are finished with puberty,” said Sephiroth. This was true. “It is also trivial to check if someone’s growth plates are fused.” Another truth. “If you like, I will arrange for a radiograph, to assure you you are still growing.”

A gift Cloud did not need, to make up for withholding the truth. Cloud sighed, his breath warm against Sephiroth’s bare skin.

“I don’t know if you’re nicer than anyone gives you credit for, or if you just want to keep having sex with me.”

“I want to keep having sex with you,” said Sephiroth. He grunted when Cloud nipped at his chest. “But, perhaps I am also nicer than my reputation as the Demon of Wutai might suggest.” Cloud looked up, and Sephiroth gave him an absurdly deep frown. “Don’t tell the other infantrymen.”

Cloud smiled, his fingers heading towards the buttons of his uniform.

“So soon, Cloud?”

“You made a _joke_ for me,” replied Cloud. He grinned. “That deserves a ton of sex.”

Sephiroth smirked, his fingers tugging on Cloud’s belt.

“My own desirability has nothing to do with it?”

“Oh, it has a lot to do with it, but I’m still gonna spoil the shit out of you.” Cloud pulled Sephiroth down for a kiss. “You make me so happy, Sephiroth.”

Sephiroth’s eyes flew open. Fortunately, Cloud’s eyes were closed as he nuzzled against Sephiroth’s cheek. He could not see Sephiroth realizing Cloud’s happiness relied on Cloud never knowing how Sephiroth held him back from his oldest desire. He stroked Cloud’s back, fighting the urge to swallow.

“He- _llo_!” Cloud blinked. “Zack here, so stop having sex and let me in!”

All of Sephiroth’s guilty thoughts vanished. Scowling, he stalked over to the door and yanked it open, revealing the black-haired SOLDIER’s smiling face. Zack strolled into the apartment without the slightest hesitation, followed by his frowning superior.

“We were not having sex,” said Sephiroth.

Zack looked at the undone buttons on Cloud’s uniform, and his smile grew wider.

“You weren’t having sex _yet_.”

“Do you have a reason for demanding my attention?” asked Sephiroth. “Or are you just here to be, as I have heard some of the men put it, a ‘cockblock’.”

It took nearly half a minute for Zack to give an answer, because apparently Sephiroth using contemporary slang was so outrageously hilarious it left him laughing too hard to speak. Even Cloud, who should have known quite well how casual Sephiroth’s speech could become, giggled. Sephiroth blamed Zack’s influence.

“Ah, aha, okay, sorry,” said Zack. He wiped his hand over his face. “Yeah, I do have a good reason.” He glanced at Cloud, and then turned back to Sephiroth. “It’s top secret SOLDIER stuff, though. You have to decide if you want him in on it.”

Sephiroth gazed at Cloud. The moment Zack spoke the words “top secret,” Cloud’s giggles stopped and his forehead creased with concern. Simply by being his bedmate, Cloud knew more secrets about SOLDIER than most of Shinra’s Executives. What little Cloud didn’t know about Shinra involved the precise formula of mako showers and certain tactics taking advantage of the increased strength and speed of SOLDIERs. Sephiroth was certain Zack knew nothing about the former, and doubted he truly understood the latter.

“He can stay,” said Sephiroth. He could feel Cloud’s beaming smile, as well as see Cloud’s sheer happiness at being included in a SOLDIER conversation. “He will join our ranks soon enough.”

“Yeah, I heard about today,” said Zack. He walked over to Cloud and ruffled his hair. “What bullshit! At least we know you’re a shoo-in for next year.”

Cloud flushed and ducked his head out of Zack’s reach, his hands going to button up his uniform. Sephiroth suppressed a sigh as his incubus reclothed himself, and then turned his attention back to his second-in-command.

“Now, what was so important you had to interrupt my evening?”

Zack ceased teasing Cloud and fixed Sephiroth’s eyes with a steady gaze.

“The Turks think they know where Angeal, Genesis, and Hollander are hiding.”

Despite all of his valued self-control, Sephiroth’s eyes widened and his lips parted. A myriad of questions crowded his mind, and he forced himself to quiet them, to ask them one at a time. The most vital one first:

“Who else have they told?”

“Just me,” said Zack. “Even Director Lazard’s still in the dark.”

Sephiroth’s eyebrows furrowed. The Turks obviously expected him to act on his own, but to what end? It could be a loyalty test, to see if Sephiroth would turn in his friends or turn his back on Shinra’s best interests. He feared no reprisals, as he was invaluable to the company, but Zack and Cloud were not.

“And why only you?”

“First, Tseng owes me a favor. Several favors. Reno owes me many more,” said Zack. “Secondly, the President’s on their ass to find more SOLDIER recruits, to the point of skipping the mandatory psych eval.” Zack scowled. “That means some godsdamned monsters are making it in, and whenever those fucked-up bastards decide to go on a rampage for shits and giggles, the Turks have to do the work of cleaning up after them.”

Sephiroth knew well most of the Turk-selected SOLDIER recruits were catastrophes waiting to happen. One of them, a blue-haired man named Azul, proved himself a liability before even making it onto the field. A regular Third Class challenged Azul to a training duel, and not much of the Third Class had survived the event. It took an entire squadron of Second Classes to drag Azul out of the gym, and he had not been seen or heard from since.

Sephiroth hoped he’d been taken to a small room and shot, with the more worthwhile parts of him preserved for Hojo to study.

“So the Turks are hoping for Genesis, Angeal, and their mutineers to return to the company, in hopes of reducing their workload,” said Sephiroth. “And we come into this where?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” asked Zack. He crossed his arms. “Seph, I know it weirds you out sometimes, but the men like serving under you a hell of a lot more than they like serving under Shinra. You’ve got to know that.”

“So, Sephiroth’s supposed to sneak into enemy territory, and then make some big speech to win everybody back into the fold?’ Zack and Sephiroth turned towards Cloud, who mirrored Zack’s stance. “Zack, this stinks. If there’s anyway to get Sephiroth killed, throwing him into the middle of a bunch of hostile SOLDIERs is a way to do it.”

“But why would the Turks want Sephiroth dead?” Zack held out his hands. “Think about it, Spiky! Sephiroth’s made Shinra a ton of money, and a Turk’s entire job is to make sure the company makes its money. Killing off Sephiroth is like slaughtering the goose with the golden egg and throwing its body into a pile of manure.”

“While I thank you for that vivid image, Zack, it still remains that facing Genesis’s army alone is a suicide mission, even for me,” said Sephiroth. His lips thinned, and he continued speaking before Zack could butt in. “Furthermore, Genesis and his men have been quiet since the initial mutiny. I have no desire to start a fight with my old friend, deserter though he may be.”

“Yeah, I get that, but…” Zack folded his arms again and looked off to the side. “Seph, you wouldn’t be going alone. I’d go with you.”

“What the hell, Zack!” Sephiroth blinked and looked down at Cloud. The incubus stood with his hands balled into fists. “Just because you’re another First doesn’t mean you’d even the odds any.”

“Hey, that’s not why I’m going,” said Zack. “It’s something more important than that.”

“Something more important than accompanying me?” asked Sephiroth. “Whatever could that be?”

Sephiroth half-expected to hear Zack reply “to accompany a friend” or “to bring Angeal home.” He had excellent arguments against either statement. Whether he considered Zack a friend or not, he had no desire to drag anyone along on a suicide mission. Furthermore, Angeal would be devastated at the idea of fighting his protege.

He had no response for what Zack did say.

“I think this will decide the future of SOLDIER,” said Zack. “Either Genesis, Angeal and the mutineers come back and we’re all brothers-in-arms again, or the President keeps pushing for more new recruits and we become a den of monsters.” He stared into Sephiroth’s eyes. “I’m not willing to have anything to do with the second, and I’m willing to risk all I’ve got for the first.”

“But Zack, what about Aerith?” asked Cloud. His voice was as soft and gentle as the look in his eyes. “What if you don’t come back to her?”

Zack sighed.

“I’m not the only one who loves Aerith,” he said. “If I don’t come back, she’ll mourn, but she’ll know I didn’t stand by and let sheer...wrongness happen under my watch.”

Sephiroth let slip a smile.

“First Class SOLDIER Zack Fair,” he said. “Is your ‘restless puppy’ behavior just a mask?”

“Oh man, I’m never going to escape that nickname,” said Zack. He laughed, and then tapped his temple. “Nah, it isn’t. But remember, some dogs are pretty smart.”

Cloud spoke next, his voice muffled as he looked at the carpet.

“I’ve seen some of the new recruits.” He lifted his head, a frown on his face and his blue eyes narrowed. “I’ve wanted to be in SOLDIER since before I knew what I was. But I don’t want to be a part of SOLDIER if they’re in it.”

Zack grinned at Cloud before reaching over and ruffling his hair. “You get it, Cloud.” Still smiling, he looked to Sephiroth, his eyebrows raised in an obvious question.

Sephiroth closed his eyes.

“It is...partially my fault Genesis left,” he said. “And I would rather lead men, not a pack of ravening wolves.”

“All right!" Zack grabbed Sephiroth around the middle and pulled him close, and then snagged Cloud for more of the same. “Then we’re doing it! Operation: Save SOLDIER’s Soul is a go!”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like I'm stringing you readers along, and it makes me guilty. Vorpalgirl summed up my feelings exactly: "there was gonna be some sweet threeway action here, but, uh...I kinda didn't wanna entirely sacrifice plot and character development, so...yeah."
> 
> I hope Zack comes across as in-character here. Let's face it, the fandom isn't in love with his intelligence. Even I like calling him a "beautiful moron." Kudos to AsreonInfusion for that nickname, by the way. However, Zack has to have a decent amount of intelligence to make it into SOLDIER, and I think his monologue here plays to his intellectual strengths. And some dogs really are quite smart.
> 
> Now, why does Sephiroth says he's partially responsible for Genesis deserting? Because he is ; ) Find out what he did in the next chapter.


	3. Hybrid Vigor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zack finally asks the question: what drove Genesis away from Shinra, and how is it all Sephiroth's fault?

It wasn’t until they were all sitting inside a Shinra helicopter, winging their way to Banora with Tseng at the controls, that Zack asked the question Sephiroth hoped he would never hear.

“So, you said you were partially to blame for Genesis leaving.” Zack raised his eyebrows. “What’d you do?”

“Great way to be sensitive, Zack,” said Cloud.

Sephiroth glanced down at the incubus by his side, still wondering how he let himself be convinced to take Cloud along. It didn’t matter that Cloud was half-incubus and far stronger than he looked, he was still untrained for the kind of violence this mission all but promised.

He had argued, with Zack’s support, that taking part in a successful mission might persuade Lazard to allow Cloud to take the SOLDIER exam. It was pure foolishness, risking his life merely to hasten his guaranteed entrance into SOLDIER. Utter foolishness, and yet Sephiroth had given in anyway. As if he could feel the flow of Sephiroth’s thoughts, Cloud looked up at him, gazing at him with those vivid blue eyes, and smiled.

His emotional weakness for Cloud was growing.

“I doubt you forced Genesis to leave. You said he was your friend, right?”

“Angeal’s friend too,” said Zack. “Though I didn’t see him much. I just know he’s good with magic, obsessed with _LOVELESS_ , and had a training accident before he deserted.”

“Also really pretty,” added Cloud. Zack laughed, and Cloud scowled at him. “What? Red Leather proves I’m right.”

“You would bring up his looks,” said Zack. He chuckled for a few seconds more, and then straightened up and looked Sephiroth in the eye. “But really, what happened?”

Sephiroth glanced at Tseng, who’d been ignoring the entire conversation in favor of continuing to fly the helicopter.

“I suppose you already know all about this.”

“Who do you think provides your authorized meals?’ asked Tseng. “You were not half as stealthy as you thought.”

Sephiroth closed his eyes for a moment, before leaning forward and gazing at his boots.

“You must understand, when you are part vampire, you see some actions...differently.”

Zack folded his arms and squirmed in his seat.

"What does that have to do with anything?”

“Genesis did not experience a training accident,” said Sephiroth. “Angeal, Genesis, and I visited the VR room after hours for a private duel. Genesis decided to face me by himself, the fighting got out of hand, and he was injured.”

“Injured badly enough to leave Shinra?” asked Zack. “But that makes zero sense! Shinra has the best medical care in the world.”

“Zack,” said Tseng, “please allow Sephiroth to finish.”

Sephiroth glanced at Tseng again. For a Turk, he was a good man. Sephiroth suspected he’d make a fine SOLDIER, but with a Turk’s annual salary being what it was, he knew Tseng could never be lured away from his current position. Such speculation was merely mental stalling against explaining what he’d done to Genesis, though. Closing his eyes again, Sephiroth forced himself to continue.

“It would make zero sense for Genesis to leave over an injury, especially the small one he received. Yet somehow, the injury...it brought out vampire characteristics in Genesis.”

“I thought I was the first demon you’d ever met,” said Cloud.

“I would not call Genesis a demon,” replied Sephiroth. “Until the injury, he was as normal a human as a First Class SOLDIER can be. But afterwards, he suffered an insatiable hunger for blood, and his injury would not heal…”

_Sephiroth crept into the infirmary, wishing to see how the medical staff treated Genesis while not under supervision. To his disappointment, Genesis sat hunched on the edge of the bed, redressed and alone. Scolding himself for missing the latest transfusion, Sephiroth cleared his throat, having learned to not sneak up on the fiery mage. Genesis straightened and looked over his shoulder, but slumped again once he recognized his visitor._

_These moments, more than anything else, proved their friendship. No matter how hard Genesis strived to rival Sephiroth, no matter how vicious their duels, Genesis allowed Sephiroth to see weakness he hid from anyone else. Only Angeal was allowed greater intimacy._

_Speaking of Angeal, the latest issue of_ Famous Gardens Monthly _lay on the nearby chair, but its reader was gone._

_“Where is Angeal?”_

_“He made plans months ago to visit his mother for a week,” said Genesis. “Of course, being who he is, he had the sentimental idea to remain at my bedside until I recovered.” He rolled his eyes. “I pounded some sense into his head and told him my recovery would have nothing to do with whether he was in Midgar or not.”_

_“You are utterly transparent,” said Sephiroth. A smirk spread across his face as Genesis glared at him. “This is why you always lose at poker.”_

_“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” said Genesis. “The idea of him grumbling about wasting a week of leave sets my teeth on edge.”_

_“You tell yourself that.” He glanced at the empty blood bag hanging from the IV pole. “Any changes?”_

_“Yes,” replied Genesis. “My iron levels have climbed so high the doctors are considering chelation therapy.”_

_Sephiroth blinked._

_“Chelation? Why would they use such powerful drugs when they could drain the excess…”_

_Genesis had started easing his left arm out of his sleeve before Sephiroth even began his second sentence. Sucking in a breath, he stared at the dark bruises dotting the inside of Genesis’s arm. Blood transfusions should not have left such marks upon any healthy man’s flesh, and even if they had, a First Class SOLDIER’s enhanced healing would have gone to work on them immediately._

_“The injuries to my left arm are racking up, I’m afraid,” said Genesis. “And they don’t want to start on my right.”_

_Sephiroth allowed his eyes to trail up to Genesis’s shoulder. The sleeveless uniform sweater left the skin bare, and even if the old wound hadn’t bled through the bandage, Sephiroth could smell the torn skin and seeping blood._

_“And the hunger?” asked Sephiroth._

_Genesis shook his head and pressed his hand to his mouth._

_“Transfusion or ingestion, it makes no difference,” he said. He shuddered, and his jaw tightened as he forced his fangs away. “It grows worse, day by day. It’s not just for blood, either, but I can’t describe what I want. And my skin is so sensitive I can't grip a sword barehanded.” Genesis looked up, his gaze catching on the bundle under Sephiroth’s arm. “And what is that?”_

_Sephiroth allowed himself  a small smile._

_“An idea. Now get up, we’re headed under the plate.”_

_Genesis’s eyes widened in alarm._

_“What? The slums? I—Sephiroth!”_

_Genesis blinked as Sephiroth lifted him from his perch on the hospital bed. Before he could even think of leaving the range of his obviously mad friend’s arms, Sephiroth had stripped him of his SOLDIER belt and suspenders._

_“Are you taking me to the Honey Bee Inn, Sephiroth? Because that’s the only place I can think of where no one would complain about my pants falling down!”_

_“Hush,” replied Sephiroth. He thrust the bundle, now revealed as two jackets of the grey, hooded type favored by the less fortunate citizens of Midgar, into Genesis’s hands. “You still have two belts to keep you decent. If you drop your trousers, you did it on purpose.”_

_“How amus—” Genesis stared as Sephiroth took off his own coat and belt, leaving him bare to the waist. “Sephiroth, what’s gotten into you?”_

_“We’re too obvious as we are,” said Sephiroth. He plucked one of the jackets from Genesis’s grip and pulled it on. Once his head was through the neckhole, he caught Genesis staring at him. “What?”_

_“You look so strange,” replied Genesis. He laughed, a rare sound from him since the accident. “Don’t change your wardrobe anytime soon.”_

_Sephiroth gave a soft ‘hmph’ and forced the remaining jacket onto a heavily-protesting Genesis. Sticking his right arm into the sleeve went smoothly enough, but when it came to Genesis’s left arm, Sephiroth allowed Genesis to bat him away and ease the coarse fabric over his injury. However, the temptation to yank the hood over Genesis’s face was too much to resist. Cursing, the redhead swatted him away and pulled back the hood far enough to allow vision._

_“What on Gaia was that for?”_

_“Your hair is too distinctive.”_

_“Says the only man in the entire world with silver hair.” Genesis peeked around Sephiroth. “Which is poking out the bottom of your jacket. You didn’t think this out beforehand, did you?”_

_Rolling his eyes, Sephiroth grabbed Genesis’s left sleeve and led him to the door. Ordinarily Genesis would never allow Sephiroth, of all people, to drag him around, but for now his curiosity overwhelmed his pride. Or as Genesis put it, “I want to figure out what kind of happy drug Hojo so obviously slipped into your latest round of mako injections.”_

_Holding Genesis’s sleeve tight, Sephiroth led him out of the infirmary and deeper in the bowels of the Shinra Building. The people they passed by didn’t even stare, despite their unusual dress; everyone knew SOLDIERs were a little odd. Eventually the number of incurious passersby dwindled away, until they were alone. Alone, and traveling still deeper into the building._

_“None of this looks familiar,” said Genesis. He frowned. “Hidden hallways for the first First?”_

_“And now you,” replied Sephiroth._

_Confusion and delight radiated off of Genesis, and Sephiroth allowed himself a small smile. The other First really was transparent. They reached an elevator, Sephiroth pressing the oft-used down button and tugging Genesis inside as soon as the doors opened. Forty-nine floors later, the doors opened again, though Genesis took being pulled out of the elevator with far less grace._

_“Sephiroth!” Genesis yanked his sleeve out of Sephiroth’s grip, and Sephiroth let him, unwilling to damage the jacket. “I really don’t know what’s gotten into you, but there’s no need to drag me around like a dog on a leash.”_

_“I suppose not,” said Sephiroth. “We are close, anyway.”_

_Turning on his heel, Sephiroth headed for the nearest stairwell. Genesis’s familiar and pleasing presence at his back, combined with the knowledge of what would soon happen, brought back his smile._

_“To where? Sephiroth, why are we heading to the slums?”_

_“To cure you.”_

“Whoa, wait, what?” asked Zack. “You never told me about this.” Sephiroth watched his eyebrows knit together and his head tilt. “Oh, Seph…”

Sympathy. Zack Fair felt sympathy for him, for however long that would last.

Cloud shifted beside him, and Sephiroth felt his chest tighten. What was meant as a quick glance ended with their eyes meeting, and there was knowledge in the incubus’s gaze.

A demon would understand what kind of cure a vampire hoped to find for another vampire in the slums.  Cloud looked away, his adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed. Sephiroth forced himself to sit up straight.  

“Do either of you know who Don Corneo is?” he asked.

“That sleazy fucker?” Zack scowled, the kindness in his eyes evaporating. “Wish I didn’t. I’ve caught him leering at Aerith, and I’ve heard of him doing way worse. Would’ve knocked his head off if he wasn’t a Shinra informant.”

“I do too,” said Cloud. He winced. “He runs the Honey Bee Inn, right? I thought I’d visit it one day, to, well, eat out.”

Sephiroth blinked and turned the idea over in his head. For an incubus, the Honey Bee Inn would be the equivalent of a restaurant. Still, Cloud was a rather responsible lover, and the Honey Bee Inn was a notorious potter’s field for women who came to Midgar in hopes of a better life. Sephiroth watched as Zack crossed his arms and raised his eyebrows at Cloud. Cloud winced and held up his hands.

“Hey, hey, I was fresh off of enlisting and greener than a Gyshal field, okay?” Cloud shook his head. “The closer I got to that place, the sicker I felt. When I was within a block of it, I ducked into an alleyway and hurled. There’s something ugly happening there, and I haven’t gone near it since.”

“It appears we are all familiar with Don Corneo’s business model,” said Tseng. He kept his eyes fixed on the airspace in front of him, but Sephiroth heard the unspoken sentence: “You might as well continue.”

“Don Corneo’s men are as reprehensible as their boss,” said Sephiroth. “If there are people the world will not miss, then they are those people.”

Zack’s eyes widened as he started to understand. Sephiroth forced himself to continue.

“The secret stairwell opens directly into the slums…”

_The stairwell left Genesis and Sephiroth quite close to the Wall Market, needing only to walk a few dozen meters to reach the alleys near the Honey Bee Inn and Sephiroth’s target: one of Corneo’s men, leaning against the damp city walls while he smoked a cigarette._

_Genesis stood close to Sephiroth, huffing once he realized what had caught his attention._

_“Really Sephiroth? I do not have the energy to force our way into the Honey Bee Inn, even if I am happy you’re sowing your wild oat–”_

_“Ssh.”_

_It was all over before Genesis could even frown. Sephiroth darted out, struck Corneo’s lackey into unconsciousness, and brought him back into the shadows of the alley. Genesis stared at him with an open mouth._

_“What the…”_

_“Genesis.” Sephiroth pulled his victim’s head back, exposing the jugular vein. “Fresh blood is far more energizing than blood bags.”_

_Genesis’s gaze traveled down the man’s neck, his eyes fixating upon the pulse point. Sephiroth smiled to himself; he had found the perfect prey for an untrained vampire. Unconscious, Corneo’s man could not add to Genesis’s store of wounds, and his friend need not feel the slightest bit guilty if he accidentally killed the man._

_Genesis took one, two steps towards him. Shivers traveled throughout his entire body as he reached out, his jaw clenched. Sephiroth gave him an indulgent smile._

_“Come on, Genesis.”_

_Mako-blue eyes snapped up to meet his own. Spell broken, Genesis whirled on his heel and ran away. Blinking, Sephiroth dropped Corneo’s lackey and went after him. He found him in the next alley over, clinging to one of the grimy buildings and dry heaving. Sephiroth reached out and touched Genesis’s shoulder, only to have his hand slapped away as Genesis turned on him._

_“Gen–”_

_“What is wrong with you!?” Genesis glared at him, his hands curled into fists. “This is murder!”_

_“This is feeding,” hissed Sephiroth. He narrowed his eyes. “And how is it any different than what we do as SOLDIERs?”_

_Genesis blinked and stepped back._

_“This isn’t a battlefield–”_

_“That man’s entire life is based around violence for gil,” said Sephiroth. “Are you happier with the idea of him beating one of Corneo’s honeybees for ‘insubordination’ than with taking the blood you_ need _from him?”_

_“If he’s so vile, he needs to be brought to justice, not preyed upon like–”_

_“You know very well he will never face any formal retribution for what he’s done,” said Sephiroth. He touched his chest. “In this world run by Shinra, we are the only justice for men like him.”_

_Scowling, Genesis walked closer to Sephiroth, until Sephiroth could smell his illness._

_“If ‘we’ are the only justice in this world, then I want no part of it.” His face grew dark. “I would rather starve.”_

_Genesis moved as if to push him out of his way, but Sephiroth held his ground. Snorting, he side-stepped him and left him in the alley._

“The week after that, Genesis deserted from Shinra,” said Sephiroth. He studied his gloves. “Which took me completely by surprise. I thought he was in danger of committing suicide, not mutiny.”

His voice was steady. Despite the novelty of relating the events to an audience, he’d relived that night so many times in his head that it hardly roused him anymore. He heard Zack sigh, and looked up in time to see his shoulders sink.

“Shiva, Sephiroth, I don’t even know where to begin,” said Zack. “Putting aside the morality of eating violent thugs for the moment, I don’t see how you expected that to work out.”

“He was so sick,” said Sephiroth. “I thought hunger would overpower him, and he’d be...” Sephiroth curled his fingers and pressed them to his forehead. “Never mind what I thought would happen. We’re here to stop Genesis’s mutiny, not debate, First Class SOLDIER Zack Fair.”

“And Zack?” All three passengers looked towards Tseng. “Before you do anything, I recommend you consider how happy you’d be if Sephiroth starved to death.”

Zack was silent for the rest of the ride to Banora.

 

***

 

After scouting the area, Tseng landed outside the Banora Underground. Zack hopped out of the helicopter and sighed. 

“We’re gonna have to fight in a mine. Tight corners, poor lighting, few to no escape routes.” He turned to Tseng. “Why do we think Genesis is here again? If I was a mutineer, I wouldn’t take refuge in my hometown.”

“The Underground is the remnants of a Shinra mining project,” replied Tseng. “The company left discrete seismic monitoring equipment. A few weeks ago, the equipment started sending signals inconsistent with normal tremors, and then suddenly stopped transmitting at all.” Tseng smirked. “Add that to reports of the **elder** Mr. Rhapsodos suffering a serious and inexplicable leg injury, and an individual resembling former First Class SOLDIER Angeal Hewley departing the area, and there’s a strong chance Genesis is here.”

“Angeal was seen...leaving?” asked Zack.

“Probably only temporarily,” replied Cloud. He looked over at Sephiroth. “They’re old friends, right? Angeal wouldn’t abandon him.”

“Angeal, Genesis, and I were also friends,” replied Sephiroth. “And they left me.”  

Zack and Cloud both sighed. Tseng stared at them, his eyebrows raising.

“Wherever Angeal is, confronting Genesis is the first step to finding him.” Tseng racked the slide of his pistol. “The longer we sit out here, the more chances we give any guards to see us and react."

Sephiroth turned his back on them and stalked towards the entrance to the Underground. Tseng and Cloud fell in behind him, while Zack darted forward to take the place by Sephiroth’s side.

“Sorry,” said Zack.

Sephiroth spared him the briefest of glances as they entered the mines.

“I got so excited about seeing Angeal and the others come back that I forgot about how this is one enormous dick move on their part.”

“If you can’t bring yourself to only use hand signals, at least keep your voice down,” said Sephiroth. Then he blinked. “And what?”

“Heading off without you is a real fucking jerk move on their part, one I don’t understand in the slightest,” replied Zack. “When we catch up to them, I’ll sit on Angeal’s chest and you can lecture him. Tseng and Cloud can make sure Genesis doesn’t slip away before you have a chance to rip him a new one.”

Sephiroth’s lips curled upwards in spite of himself.

“Given how many times you’ve lectured me lately, I think I’ve learned how to give a proper one.”

The face Zack made as he stifled his laughter sustained Sephiroth’s smile, and he shared it with Cloud. In the fraction of a second Sephiroth looked away from the path, the guard had nearly enough time to scuttle out of view.

But not enough.

Ignoring the flash of déjà vu, Sephiroth darted forward and trapped the guard, a Second Class, in his arms. The man immediately went limp, and Sephiroth raised his eyebrows.

“Playing dead will get you nowhere.”

“Sir, I’m not playing dead, just not resisting,” said the guard. He risked a peek up at Sephiroth. “I’d rather not fight against you.”

“Yes!” Zack pumped his fist, and then turned to Tseng. “I knew it! High five!”

“Yes, it appears our assumptions about SOLDIER loyalty were correct,” said Tseng. He left Zack hanging and turned to glare at the guard. “Did you set off any alarms?”

The guard, when faced with an armed Turk, fell silent. 

“He’s not going to kill you,” said Sephiroth. 

“I’m not going to kill you,” said Tseng. “If we fire the first shot, there’s a far higher chance this mission will end in a massacre.”

The guard swallowed hard, and then gazed up at Sephiroth. Despite Sephiroth restraining him in a hold that gave him ample opportunity to snap the guard’s neck, it was obvious who the man feared more. Not that Sephiroth could blame him, and he found himself touched at how much the guard relaxed when Sephiroth met his eyes and nodded.

“I had no time to trip any alarms, sir.”

“What about video surveillance, then?” asked Tseng. “Is anyone watching us right now?”

The guard shook his head.

“This mine is fuckin’ weird,” he said. “In some places, signals just don’t transmit. This is one of them. If I saw an intruder, I was supposed to just run away and alert the SOLDIERs further in.” He looked up at Sephiroth and smirked. “Didn’t work out so well.”

Next to them, Zack took out his PHS. He gazed at the screen, and then held it up for everyone to see: no signal. The guard, though a mutineer, was telling the truth. Sephiroth relaxed his hold on the guard’s neck, and the guard stood up, bearing his own weight again. Zack caught the guard’s eye, and the Second Class snapped to attention.

“Sir!

“Second Class SOLDIER Lan Jenner–” Sephiroth could almost see the guard rejoicing at the idea of a First Class knowing his name– “You have been drafted into Operation: Save SOLDIER’s Soul. Succeed, and you’ll be present for the rebirth of SOLDIER. Fail, or double-cross us, and I’ll wring your neck for being such an asshole.” Zack frowned. “Do you understand?”

“Sir, yes sir!”

“Now that the entire Underground has heard us, may we continue?” asked Tseng. “We do not want to give Genesis time to do something stupid.”

“Hell yeah, let’s get this over with and all our boys back home,” replied Zack. He smiled at Jenner. “Sorry, but you’re gonna have to be in front until this whole mess is over.”

“I understand, sir,” replied Jenner. He paused, and then looked over at Sephiroth. “And General...it’s good to see you again, sir.”

 

***

 

Tseng proved both correct and over-cautious. Zack’s chest-thumping speech had reached the guards at the second checkpoint, but when they arrived, the guards were still arguing over the best course of action.

“We should just go to Sephiroth, hands up, surrender ourselves."

“Hell no, what if he’s not happy to see us? We should go to Genesis, let him figure out what to do.”

“Like Sephiroth wouldn’t catch us.”

“Oh come on, even he has limits.”

“I have never reached my limit,” replied Sephiroth. As non-violent as this mission would hopefully be, he still savored the sight of the guards turning around with slack jaws. “But you are welcome to try and find it."

“Sir!” The guard advocating surrender stood at attention, his companion following suit not a second later. “We immediately capitulate and recognize your authority!”

Similar scenes occurred at each security checkpoint. Even when the guards had forewarning, they still surrendered rather than turn against Sephiroth. Zack greeted them by name and with a smile (“Rian, you were reported KIA! What’s your sorry ass doing here!?” “Heh, sorry sir.”), and Sephiroth found him more and more invaluable as a second-in-command with every passing moment. Even after Genesis’s mutineers outnumbered them by five to one, they showed no signs of hostility–though a few too many were too interested in ruffling Cloud’s hair.

“Hey, I remember you! Made it into SOLDIER already?”

“Heh, well...not yet,” replied Cloud. “But I will–hey, you’re the guy who helped out in Zack’s class!”

“Yeah!” The SOLDIER, a broad, dark-haired Third Class imitating Angeal’s beard, grinned down at Cloud. “You mean to tell me that the little infantry squirt who knocked my sword out of my hands isn’t in SOLDIER yet?”

Cloud blushed. 

“You got me in a headlock all of five seconds later.”

“Maybe, but the fact that I had to was pretty awesome.”

“These men are awfully quick to desert Genesis,” murmured Sephiroth to Zack. “I’m not sure how I feel about this.”

“Months with only Genesis as your commander? Tell me you wouldn’t be ready to mutiny back,” replied Zack. 

“Maybe so, but…”

“Commander Rhapsodos isn’t really in charge, sir.” Sephiroth jerked his head to the side and cursed himself for not paying attention. There was a lanky Third right next to him, looking up at him with genuine concern in his eyes. “Even before Commander Hewley left, Commander Rhapsodos started spending more and more time in the infirmary. And that creepy-ass–sorry, sir!”

“If you’re about to talk about Doctor Hollander, the description is warranted. Continue.”

“Doctor Hollander keeps on eyeing us as he walks around the Underground.” The Third shuddered. “Makes my skin crawl, sir. Frankly, I’m glad you’re here.”

The final pair of guards walked to them, rather than wait to surrender.

“Thank Odin you’re here, sir,” said the first one, a Second Class with shadows of fatigue around his eyes. “Commander Rhapsodos and Doctor Hollander are in the infirmary, and it doesn’t sound pretty.”

Once they reached the infirmary, Sephiroth had to agree. In fact, it sounded like a certain red-haired First was having a dangerous and expensive fit of temper. Tseng, Zack, Cloud and himself gathered around the door to the infirmary, Zack wincing when something hit the other side of the door with an irreparable-sounding crash.

“Genesis, please! You’re destroying valuable equipment!”

“What does it matter?”

The sound of Genesis’s voice made Sephiroth’s eyes widen. How long had it been since he’d last heard his friend and rival? Now his voice was rough with anger, holding none of the laughing wit that made Sephiroth smile even as he rolled his eyes.

“What does it matter?” Genesis repeated. “You haven’t found a cure with it anyway. I doubt you even can.”

“These things take time—”

“I don’t have time! Angeal doesn’t have time! You’ve had all the time in the Planet, and have nothing to show for it!”

“Perhaps if you let me try the retrovirals on the other SOLDIERs—er.”

Silence descended. Sephiroth swore he could hear Hollander’s heart stop.

“My men,” snarled Genesis, “did not desert Shinra to be your fucking lab rats.”

The sound of screeching metal ripped through the air. Tseng’s eyes flew open.

“Hollander has to live,” he said. “We need in there, now.”

Zack burst through the infirmary door, not even bothering to test if it was locked. Cloud tried following after, but Sephiroth shoved him behind himself and raced to Zack’s side. The sight that greeted him would have been comical, if not for the circumstances.

Genesis held an operating table ripped off of its base, the power cables still sparking. Hollander stood with his back to a computer, his hands shielding the dual monitors. He spared Sephiroth and Zack only a second’s glance, his attention rooted on the more immediate threat: the enraged SOLDIER ready to hurl over a hundred pounds of metal at his head.

Though, with the way Genesis gripped the operating table at one end, Sephiroth supposed he could also swat Hollander like a particularly repugnant fly.

Zack looked from the operating table, down to Genesis’s arms, over to the destroyed base, and then back to Genesis. Then he, of all things, whistled. Genesis stiffened, and then looked over his shoulder at the crowd gathered behind him. 

“What the fuck,” he whispered. “Zack Fair? **Sephiroth**?”

“I thought all your SOLDIER enhancement went to your magic, but damn!” Zack whistled again, and Genesis scowled. Sephiroth glanced over at Hollander, who was smart enough to start creeping out of the reach of Genesis’s improvised weapon. “I’m impressed.”

“What the hell are you two—and what is a **fucking** Turk doing here?” asked Genesis. He raised his eyebrows. “Where are my men? What did you do to them?”

“Um, sorry sir.” Jenner rubbed the back of his neck. “They didn’t want to fight us, and we didn’t want to fight them, so…”

Genesis tossed the operating table to the floor and ran a hand over his face. “Marvellous,” he murmured. “I’m dying, my doctor is incompetent, and my men are traitors. What more can I expect?”  

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, this update was a long time coming. I want to include the promised threesome in this chapter, but I've been so worn out by real life lately. I don't know when I'll be able to write more, including the promised smut, but I know some people have been waiting for more. It felt unfair to leave people hanging when I had such a large chunk of writing done. 
> 
> I've got such plans for this verse, that sometimes the sheer scale of it overwhelms me. I want to go forward, and go back and edit the first chapter. I'm hoping that I'll be able to get a handle on my life and continue in this 'verse, and even move onto other projects someday.


	4. Coupling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Genesis and Hollander backed into corner, what secrets will be revealed? Can Sephiroth save his friend and all of SOLDIER?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So. This is the first update since 2015. I would be embarrassed, but instead I'm grateful for all the people who asked for an update and took a chance on reading this fic despite seeing how long ago I'd updated it. Specifically, I want to thank pt_tucker for their long, beautiful comment.

The moment Genesis dropped the operating table, Doctor Hollander ran for the infirmary’s other exit. Sephiroth barely bothered to acknowledge him; Zack caught the portly doctor with ease, darting past Genesis.

“Not today, buddy,” said Zack. He caught Hollander’s arms and yanked them behind his back, holding his wrists together with one hand. “Tseng wants you alive.”

Hollander whimpered.

Genesis sighed and hunched over, his unfocused eyes staring at the floor. Sephiroth took a step towards Genesis, and the commander looked up, his eyes half-lidded. He frowned and brushed a strand of graying hair out of his face.

“Why are you here, Sephiroth? Any reason other than the obvious?” asked Genesis.

“Operation Save SOLDIER’s Soul, sir,” stated Cloud. Sephiroth and Genesis both turned to look at him, Genesis’s grey-streaked eyebrows rising. “This will be the rebirth of SOLDIER.”

“That’s right,” said Zack. He scowled down at Hollander when the doctor attempted to squirm out of his grip. “Shinra would rather have its old boys back rather than try and replace you.”    
  
Genesis made a dismissive gesture to the SOLDIERs gathered outside the infirmary. 

“ _ You  _ can go back,” he said. He glanced over at Hollander, and then at Tseng. “Going to frame him for everything? It’ll be more believable if you have me share the blame, and I’m dying anyway.” His upper lip curled. “That  _ hack  _ couldn’t cure a cold, much less my degeneration.”

“Is that what Hollander calls your illness?” asked Tseng.

He walked past Sephiroth and Genesis, careful to stay on the opposite side of Sephiroth. Genesis tensed when Tseng reached into his coat pocket, but the Turk pulled out a flash drive and sat down at the computer Hollander protected from Genesis’s attack of temper. A dialogue box popped up on the right screen when Tseng plugged in the drive, and Hollander laughed.

“Those are my private records. You won’t be able to get into them without my coop–”

“Hello, Doctor Hollander,” chirped the computer. “Administrative access granted.”

Zack snorted as Hollander paled. “Woooow. I’m no computer genius, but I’m pretty sure my PHS is harder to hack into.” Hollander started struggling again, and Zack rolled his eyes.

“Hey, Corporal Strife, got any handcuffs on you?”

“I’m not in that division of the infantry, SOLDIER Fair.”

“Yeah, but,” Zack bounced his eyebrows, “you’re you.”

“I’m on  _ duty _ , SOLDIER Fair.”   
  
“That’s never stopped you.”   
  
“I have no idea what you two are going on about, and I don’t care,” said Genesis. “But I know for a fact that Turks carry zip ties as standard mission equipment.”

Tseng fished a zip tie out of his pocket, and Zack gestured for Cloud to enter the infirmary. Sephiroth stepped yet closer to Genesis as Cloud walked by them, trying to ignore the smirk on Genesis’s face. Since they were well-trained and powerful men, Cloud and Zack restrained Hollander’s hands behind his back without incident.

Sighing again, Genesis sat down on the nearest bed and crossed his legs. “What’s with the wait, Turk?” he asked. “I know poking through computers is the larger part of your job, but is now really the time? Especially when you’re surrounded by nervous SOLDIERs and a First half-mad with degeneration.” He interlaced his fingers and rested them on his thigh, and Sephiroth did his best to not gaze at his left shoulder.

“Again, that is what Hollander calls your illness,” replied Tseng. He clicked open another window, and then leaned back. “Ah. Your private file.”

“Oh dear, you’ll learn about that dolphin tattoo I gained in Costa Del Sol.”

“Perhaps you should come over and read this,” said Tseng.

Genesis let out a small  _ hmph _ . “I know my medical history, Turk.” _. _

“Really?” asked Tseng. “Because this isn’t your standard medical history, Commander Rhapsodos. This is Hollander’s private file on you.”

At those words, Hollander groaned and struggled again. Lashing out, he stomped on Zack’s instep, and the cursing SOLDIER knocked him to the floor. Hollander wriggled to his knees, only to see the barrel of Cloud’s rifle in his face. 

“I’ve got my finger out of the trigger guard for now, since Tseng wants you alive,” said Cloud. “I don’t recommend testing how quickly I can get my finger on the trigger.”   
  
“I should have known you liked them feisty,” murmured Genesis. He raised his eyebrows at Sephiroth. “Don’t even bother trying to deny it. You moved to protect him from me.”

“He’s only a Trooper and you’re a SOLDIER. It only makes since to worry for his safety around you,” stated Sephiroth.

He glared at Genesis, hoping he would simply shut up. Every one of Genesis’s men were in earshot, and Cloud didn’t need to have their opinion of him soured by Genesis.

Even if Genesis was right.

“If this mission is too dangerous for a Trooper, why not bring another SOLDIER?” asked Genesis.

“He will be a SOLDIER in six months,” replied Sephiroth. “Lazard all but guaranteed his admission.”

The moment Genesis smiled, Sephiroth knew he’d said  _ exactly  _ the wrong thing, even though it was also true. 

“Someone really wants him in the program, don’t they?”

“You may speculate on Corporal Strife’s entry into SOLDIER later, after you have read your true medical records,” stated Tseng. He stood up and gestured to the now-empty chair in front of the computer. “But if you wish to banter instead of starting on the path to curing yourself, I suppose it can wait.”

“The famously ice-cold Tseng losing his patience? You must  _ really  _ want me to read that file.” Genesis eased himself off the bed, striding over the computer. He paused and smirked down at Hollander, watching the scientist pale again. Sephiroth followed right behind Genesis, driven by curiosity and the desire to be there to restrain Genesis in case the true medical file was as revelatory as Tseng implied.

Once he started to read, Genesis was too focused on the screen to react to Sephiroth looking over his shoulder.

_ Subject G continues to show the signs of malnutrition--though, can a lack of energy be true malnutrition? Frequent blood transfusions from volunteers among the mutineers keep Subject G healthy enough, enough for Subject G to continue with his damn stubbornness! _

“These are the least professional medical notes I’ve ever read,” said Sephiroth. He gave Hollander a glance. “Is this why you struggled so hard? To avoid more evidence of your sheer incompetence being brought to light?”

Hollander shook his head, and Zack hauled him to his feet. “Listen, you have to protect me from him. He’s mad! I was only trying to offer a permanent cure!” He looked at Genesis’s back, and Sephiroth followed Hollander’s gaze.

Was that a  **lump** underneath Genesis’s coat?

Before Sephiroth could ask, he heard Genesis’s jaw clench. Freed from his distractions, Sephiroth returned his attention to Hollander’s notes.

_ Subject G’s condition continues to decline, though as the Subject’s malnutrition progresses, he shows more atavistic characteristics. This is a highly intriguing occurrence, and I’d happily study it further--if only the Subject was not so against dosing the mutineers with the retrovirus I engineered. _

“Subject G, Subject G, Subject G,” said Genesis. He bared his teeth in an imitation of a smile. “Doctor Hollander, I never knew you cared so much! Or that I fascinated you so strongly. You wouldn’t happen to be a Red Leather fan, would you?”

“Yeah, that’s pretty damn rude,” said Second Class Lan Jenner. “He’s a person, you know, Doctor. Not some guinea pig.”

Genesis whipped his head around, as if he’d forgotten that he still had an army of SOLDIERs at his beck and call. He spared a dry laugh.

“ _ You  _ wouldn’t happen to be a Red Leather fan, would you, Jenner?”

“Study Group, actually, sir.”

“Really now.” Genesis raised his eyebrows. “I’ll have to corner you sometime for your analysis.”

Lan Jenner smiled. 

“Maybe when we get back to Shinra, sir.” 

“Which will happen all the faster if you focus on reading your private file,” said Tseng.

“My gods, you really do have a hard-on for me to read this, don’t you?” Genesis snorted and turned back to the computer screen. “Or you’re just nervous, being surrounded by men who could snap your neck with a sneeze, little Turk.”

“The mental effects of your malnutrition have obviously taken hold,” muttered Tseng.

Sephiroth allowed himself one quick smile before starting to read again.

_ Subject G appears restless, irritable. His skin cracks, his hair fades, his immune system weakens--all signs of his malnutrition progressing. Yet, he  _ still  _ refuses to consider experimenting on the mutineers! _

Sephiroth felt an odd, light emotion welling up inside of him as he read on. Despite his illness, Genesis had apparently refused to consider experimenting on the men loyal enough to abandon their careers, their homes, their entire lives for him. He’d never thought of Genesis as the type to have strong  _ espirit du corps _ , but it was apparently there. Or at the very least, Genesis found the idea of human experimentation too unnerving to bother with.

_ Ah, well. He will crack eventually. Hopefully I will still be able to reverse his malnutrition by the time his hunger breaks his will. _

“Reverse his malnutrition?” murmured Sephiroth.

“That sounds oddly like  _cure_ , Doctor Hollander.” Genesis’s voice was as sweet as poisoned white chocolate. “You wouldn’t hold back a cure from me, would you?”

While Genesis slowly turned around to give Hollander the full brunt of his hungry smile, Sephiroth continued reading.

_ I will have to make sure I am nowhere near when Subject G feeds his incubus side. _

Sephiroth felt as if his feet were hollowing out. He clutched the table, his leather gloves creaking as he gripped hard enough to keep from wobbling in front of the men. The same words repeated over and over again in his head, so loud he wondered why no one else could hear the breathless chant.

_ I didn’t do it I didn’t do it I didn’t do it I didn’t hurt Genesis I didn’t do it _

For Sephiroth, the voice was so loud he missed Genesis turning back to look at the computer screen. A flurry of grey was the only warning he had before Genesis lunged towards Hollander, cursing him at the top of his lungs. Zack threw Hollander behind himself, giving Sephiroth just enough time to grab Genesis’s waist and yank him back.

“You asshole! You motherfucking asshole!” Genesis thrashed and fought in Sephiroth’s grip, gloved hands clawing at Sephiroth’s jacket. “You LIED to me!”

The SOLDIERs gathered outside the infirmary stirred and murmured amongst themselves. Sephiroth shot Zack a glance, and Zack kicked Hollander behind Cloud before walking over to address them. Sephiroth barely heard Zack’s attempt at calming them; Genesis’s shrieks of rage were too loud.

“You LIAR!” Genesis struggled again, and Sephiroth smelled blood. “Oh, you weren’t incompetent at all, were you!? I am dying, because of you! I am fucking  _ dying _ , and Angeal is gods know where, because of you! YOU LIAR!”

“Genesis, your wound--” Sephiroth grunted when Genesis elbowed him in the ribs. “You’ll break--”

“I don’t fucking care about my wound!” Genesis thrashed again, and Sephiroth swore he could hear the sutures in Genesis’s shoulder creak at the strain. “Let me kill him! Let me--”

“Genesis, Hollander MUST live,” said Tseng. He stepped in front of Cloud, his dark eyes wide. “For your sake--”

“Who gives a shit about my sake!?” 

“Your men’s sake,” stated Sephiroth. He swallowed a curse when Genesis stomped on his instep. “Someone must take the fall--” 

“I’ll do it! Just! Let! Me! Kill--”

“Think of Angeal!”

Cloud’s voice, calm yet strong, filled the infirmary. Genesis stilled, his eyes falling into Cloud’s gaze. Sephiroth felt the tweak and pull of Cloud’s incubus allure and inwardly thanked whatever commanding officer taught Cloud to think on his feet and use every tool in his arsenal. The SOLDIERs milling at the door silenced as well, and every man and woman in the Underground gave Cloud their full attention.

“Angeal deserted to support you,” said Cloud. He walked forward, keeping eye contact with Genesis. “I’m sure, wherever he is right now, he’s there for your sake. I know that if there’s any chance you and every SOLDIER under your command can return to Shinra--can return to your lives--he’ll want you to take it.” Cloud holstered his rifle and stood right in front of Genesis, who lied limp in Sephiroth’s arms. “Don’t throw away your chance. Think of him.”

Genesis let out a shaky breath, his hands falling away from their death grip on Sephiroth’s arms.

“I don’t know what you’re doing to me, little SOLDIER boy, but you’re right.” Genesis broke eye contact with Cloud to glare at Hollander, his lip curling at the sight of the dark stain on Hollander’s pant leg. “Fine. Let the filthy pig live, but get him out of my sight. He makes me sick.”

Zack strode over and grabbed Hollander by Hollander’s wrists, dragging him away from the group. A circle of narrow-eyed SOLDIERs formed to receive the disgraced Doctor, and Sephiroth could hear their murmured threats.

“So, you lied to Commander Rhapsodos, did you?”

“You know, they said we have to keep you alive…”

“They didn’t say about much else.” 

“Maybe we should make sure he’s in the mood to talk once we get back to Shinra.”

As Zack escorted Hollander deeper into the crowd, Sephiroth relaxed his grip until Genesis could knock his arms away--and Genesis did, still his old self. Slumped over, Genesis walked over to the nearest bed before almost falling into it. His hair looked grayer than ever, and Sephiroth’s heartbeat skipped when he saw the bleeding, cracked skin snaking up Genesis’s neck.

Sephiroth began to walk over to him, but Cloud caught his arm, and then his eye. Tseng cleared his throat, and then pointedly walked out of the infirmary, closing the door behind him. Sephiroth blinked, uncomprehending, until Cloud shook his head in Genesis’s direction and smiled.

Then, as if his feet had grown roots, Sephiroth found himself unable to move until Cloud gave him a nudge. Genesis watched them with a half smile before looking away with a soft huff.

“You’re not human, are you, little SOLDIER boy?” Genesis smirked. “Is that why the big, bad General is so sweet on you?”

Cloud fixed him with a brilliant smile, strolling over to the bed and sitting down next to Genesis.

“I like to think it’s not the only reason, but yes, I’m not completely human,” said Cloud. “I’m like you.” 

“A freak of nature?” 

Cloud snorted.

“Part incubus. Though, considering how ‘cubi feed, we are astonishingly rare.”

Sephiroth walked forward, stopping in front of them.

“I don’t understand,” murmured Genesis. He turned away from Cloud and ran a hand over his face. “From what I learned about demons, what I am should be impossible.”

Sephiroth dared to clear his throat. “There are probably more answers in your private file.” After a pointed glance from Cloud, he sat on Genesis’s other side. Genesis looked at him and raised his eyebrows, but said nothing.

“This is good,” said Cloud.

“Oh, is it, little SOLDIER boy?”

Sephiroth watched Cloud struggle to keep a smile on his face. “Yes, it is. It means you’re not degrading. You’re just malnourished. You’re not dying--”

“I just need a little Vitamin D, were you going to say?” asked Genesis. He hunched forward, a smirk on his face. “Ah, yes. I’ll just wade out into the throngs of my adoring fans, complete strangers that they are, and tell them to ignore the peeling skin and gray hair and come to me for some tender SOLDIER--”

Cloud placed a hand on Genesis’s arm, and Sephiroth sucked into a breath when Genesis did not pull away. Taking strength from that, he spoke.

“Genesis, it does not have to be a stranger.”

Silence filled the infirmary. It stretched on and on, until Sephiroth could hear his own mouth going dry.

Finally, Genesis spoke.

“What.”

“I am willing to help you,” said Sephiroth. “This whole...affair began when I wounded your shoulder. It is only proper that I offer to help correct your nutritional imbalance.”

Genesis turned around, took Cloud’s hand in his own, picked it up, and then dropped it in Cloud’s lap.

“Whatever you’re doing now, little SOLDIER--”

“Cloud Strife. I am Corporal Cloud Strife.” Cloud’s smile had dimmed by just a tad. “I’m not quite in SOLDIER yet.” 

“Then, Corporal Cloud Strife, stop whatever you’re doing to me, and especially stop bamboozling Sephiroth.” Genesis raised his eyebrows. “Did you honestly think I wouldn’t find it odd that Sephiroth, of all people, is offering to fuck me--”

Cloud held his hands up and shook his head.

“In the interest of honesty, I did use my allure earlier, but not on him.” He grinned. “And I’m being chaste as a Wutaiian monk right now. Infantry’s honor.”

Genesis laughed once, a dry, brittle bark that echoed in the infirmary. Sephiroth swallowed the urge to flinch, to fist his hands, to show any sign of nerves in the face of the...event in front of him. He was the General of SOLDIER, and he had wronged one of his men. He had the tools to make it right again, to safeguard the future of SOLDIER.

The fact that the tool necessary was in his pants was no reason to panic like a fresh recruit about to shower in front of his unit for the first time.

“Genesis, I--”

“So, you’re going to spread my legs out of the goodness of your own heart, then?” Genesis smiled. He slid a hand through his graying hair, and Sephiroth smelled fresh blood, no doubt leaking from Genesis’s shoulder wound after all the thrashing and flailing of earlier. “Kiss dry, flaking skin and lips and run your fingers over my stitches--what odd fetishes you have.”

“It’s not that.” Sephiroth tilted his head forward, letting his bangs hide his face. It could not, however, shield him from hearing Genesis’s contemptuous snort. “I don’t have a sickness fetish. I just--”

“Then you want to fix what you’ve done wrong. A pity fuck.” Sephiroth felt his fingers twitch at the venom in Genesis’s voice. “No, thank you. I’d rather screw up my courage and screw Jenner--”

“No!”

“Jealous?”

“Genesis, stop, I--”

“I’m sorry,” said Genesis, Sephiroth didn’t need to look at his face to know Genesis meant nothing of the sort. “But I’d rather not watch my sex partner swallow his own bile when he looks at me naked. Especially not you, and especially when it’s only because you’re disappointed in yourself--”

“Genesis!” Sephiroth snapped his head up and reached out for Genesis’s shoulders, stopping himself inches away from grabbing his wounded friend. Letting out a breath and closing his eyes, he gave himself one precious moment of quiet before looking up again. “Cloud.”

Cloud stood up and walked over to him, his eyes wide and mouth turned down in a frown. Sephiroth took one of Cloud’s hands and enclosed them in both of his own, taking comfort from the familiarity.

“What do you need me to do, sir?” asked Cloud.

“Use your allure again, on me.” Cloud hesitated. “A touch of it. Like you did when I first saw you.”

Cloud palmed Sephiroth’s cheek, and Sephiroth closed his eyes again at the warmth. This time, he did not suspect the tendrils of lust loosening his inhibitions and unknotting his core. He welcomed it, breathed it in. Then after a minute, he opened his eyes, feeling a smile curve his lips.

Cloud grinned.

“I love to see you close your eyes, so I can see your eyelashes brush against your cheeks,” he said. “And so I can be surprised by your vivid color when you open them again.”

“Pretty words,” said Sephiroth. He let go of Cloud’s hand, and Cloud let his other hand fall away from Sephiroth’s cheek. “But you’ll have to wait your turn, little incubus.” Smiling, Sephiroth turned to look at Genesis, his lips twitching at the sight of Genesis’s wide eyes and slightly parted lips. “Another one of your kind demands my attention.”

“You’re glamoured,” murmured Genesis. He watched, but did not pull away as Sephiroth placed his hand on Genesis’s side. “You wouldn’t do this normally. You’re bewitched--”

“I am calmed,” stated Sephiroth. He eased closer, slid his other hand into Genesis’s hair. “This is nothing new. Cloud implanted nothing in me. This is simply how I have always felt, but have held back.”

“Always!? This is ridiculous! You never--”

Sephiroth moved his hand to place a finger on Genesis’s lips. They were cracked and dry, but still warm, and the sight of Genesis shocked silent was more than enough to overcome what slight hesitance or disgust Sephiroth might have felt at the sensation--if he’d felt any at all.

“You are beautiful,” whispered Sephiroth. “You have always been beautiful, and you are beautiful still.” He eased his other hand up, cradled Genesis’s cheek, careful to avoid the cracked and scabbing skin on Genesis’s neck. “You were simply too beautiful, too vibrant for me to approach.”

“So,” muttered Genesis, his lips moving against Sephiroth’s finger. A sudden, vivid image of Genesis kissing, and then sucking on his fingertip drove Sephiroth briefly blind and deaf. When he came back, Genesis was still talking. “What’s different now? Am I now ugly enough for you to not be scared?”

“Hush,” whispered Sephiroth. “Now, the sheer urgency of the situation had forced me to overcome my own cowardice.” He paused, and then grinned. “Also, Cloud’s allure is a bit like having a few glasses of wine. What’s the phrase you’d use, about alcohol loosening tongues?”

“ _ In Vino Veritas _ .”

“In wine, truth,” translated Cloud. Both Genesis and Sephiroth turned to him. “What? A country boy can’t read every now and then? I read a  _ lot _ .”

“Porno rags, I assume,” said Genesis.

“I’m more than just an incubus, thank you,” stated Cloud. Then he smiled. “You’re something else, though. You have Sephiroth looking at you like he wants you for dessert, and you take time to insult someone.”

“It’s part of his charm,” stated Sephiroth. “Genesis. Look at me.” When Genesis did, when Sephiroth could delight in seeing all the shades of mako glow focusing on him again, he continued. “Wine is not enough to make me confess, but Cloud and your need are. Even if you never let me touch you again, grant me this. Let me pleasure you.” Sephiroth drew in closer, until he could hear Genesis’s heartbeat. “Let me feed you.”

Genesis breathed out, a blush bringing life and warmth back to his cheeks paled by illness.

“If you’re doing this out of pity--”

“I’m not. I want you.” Sephiroth smirked. “I’d grab your hand and prove it to you, but I think you’d find that crude.”

Genesis’s eyes flicked downward.

“Oh, I can see for myself.”

He sighed again, turning away from Sephiroth, Sephiroth reluctantly allowing it. He gazed downward, his hands clenching the edge of the bed. Then he tossed his head, a fraction of the old Genesis returning to him.

“I suppose I can spare you a moment of my time.” Genesis stood up and started drawing the curtains around the bed. “Stay here,” he said. “I’m getting undressed.”

Sephiroth raised his eyebrows.

“I don’t care how much you claim to want me, I still don’t want you to see me in any fashion except how I want you to see me.” Genesis drew the edges of the curtains together and walked away. “And no peeking!”

Cloud sighed and drew close to Sephiroth, tilting his head up for a kiss Sephiroth gladly gave.

“You owe me,” whispered Cloud.

Sephiroth smirked, Cloud’s lips a hair’s breadth away. He stole a kiss before speaking. 

“Going to find a dark corner and willing SOLDIER? Perhaps the one who couldn’t keep his sword in hand?” 

“Oh, no. After all that, only you will do.” Cloud wrapped his arms around Sephiroth’s neck. “You were so sauve. Is that what you think all the time?”

“Mmhmm.” Sephiroth wrapped his arms around Cloud’s waist. “Unfortunately, I cannot turn to wine to give me a silver tongue.” 

“I’ll have to help you learn to be a little more...articulate,” whispered Cloud. 

Cloud took one more kiss, gasping when Sephiroth permitted himself a quick squeeze of Cloud’s rump. Then, sighing again even as he smiled, Cloud turned to leave. He froze in his tracks when Genesis cleared his throat.

“And where are you going, SOLDIER boy?” Sephiroth and Cloud looked over to see Genesis’s shadow cast against the curtains, Genesis’s hands on his hips. “Not bold enough to have an interlude with two SOLDIERs at once?”

Cloud laughed.

“It took me bringing out Sephiroth’s hidden seductive side to make this happen. I’m not going to jeopardize everything by being a voyeur.”

“You’re not going to jeopardize anything, except by leaving.” Sephiroth watched the head of Genesis’s shadow droop. “As much as it pains me, I feel less than my usual sensual self. You’re going to have to stay and be our little male enhancement, SOLDIER boy.”

Cloud held up a finger. Then, realizing Genesis likely could not see it, he spoke. 

“On one condition.” 

“I advise being flexible, SOL--”

“Never call me “SOLDIER boy” again,” said Cloud.

Genesis laughed, brightly enough for a smile to break out on both Cloud and Sephiroth’s face.

“All right, Corporal Strife. Your old pet name is a bit of a mouthful anyway.”

“And Sephiroth is more than a mouthful,” replied Cloud. He grinned, and tilted his head to the side. “Will you let us see you?”

“Depends,” said Genesis. “Are you undressed?”

He let out a snort at the sound of their silence.

“What on Gaia were you doing in there, if not undressing? Sephiroth, please tell me you’re ready.”

“I was distracted by saying goodbye to Cloud.”

“Cloud, you cockblock. You’d better make up for taking Sephiroth’s attention away from me.”

Sephiroth looked at Cloud and raised his eyebrows. Barely a minute ago, Genesis had rejected the idea of Cloud using any of his allure upon him, and now Genesis was flirting in a manner Sephiroth could only describe as aggressive. Cloud shrugged, then smiled and started undressing, and since Cloud seemed unconcerned, Sephiroth decided to blame Genesis’s mood swings on his hunger. Cloud had grown vicious when starved, after all.

Ever the responsible soldier, Cloud placed his rifle on the nearest table, removed both its store of ammunition and the shot in the chamber, and placed all the cartridges in his pants. Then, stripping off his uniform, he folded it and kicked it underneath the curtains hiding Genesis from them.

“I see Cloud is ready,” said Genesis. “Sephiroth?”

“He’s taking his time.” Cloud turned his smile on Sephiroth. “Need some help?”

“Your allure wears off quickly if you do not actively maintain it,” replied Sephiroth.

Cloud understood his words for the request they were. Purring in the way that only he could, he pressed his bare body against Sephiroth and kissed him while his nimble little fingers undid all the belts and buckles of Sephiroth’s uniform. After Sephiroth tenderly placed Masamune on the computer desk, Cloud kicked Sephiroth’s leathers under the curtains as well.

Genesis sighed.

“Steel yourselves, because if either of you looks horrified when I reveal myself, I’m hunting down Jenner, sweet-talking him into wearing a blindfold, and then fucking him silly.”

With that, Genesis threw aside the curtains. He wore a white button-up shirt over his SOLDIER sweater, and nothing else; Sephiroth could see the tip of Genesis’s cock hanging below the hem of his shirt. There was a large blood stain over his left shoulder, and concern overwhelmed any bloodlust Sephiroth might have felt at the sight of his friend’s drying blood. Genesis followed him with his eyes as Sephiroth stepped closer, looking up and meeting Sephiroth’s gaze as Sephiroth cradled his cheek.

“I will be gentle with you.” Sephiroth touched his forehead to Genesis’s, a frown on his face. “Don’t tell me not to. I can’t.”

“Well, thank goodness for that. With you hiding  _ that  _ between your legs, I don’t think my ass could take anything other than the gentlest treatment you can give.” Genesis sighed again and looked down at Sephiroth’s stiffening erection. “How do you even fit that in your pants?”

The wheels screeched as Cloud pushed two of the infirmary’s bed together, making both Genesis and Sephiroth turn their heads.

“He has the world’s best tailor,” said Cloud. “Get back to foreplay while I hunt up something slick for lube.”

“You don’t carry your own, little incubus?”

“I’m a professional soldier, not a professional prostitute. Focus on Sephiroth, not me, okay? You need to get comfortable with each other.”

Genesis snorted. “As comfortable as we can get when--” Sephiroth kissed the tip of Genesis’s ear. “--Oh.”

Genesis turned back to Sephiroth, leaving Cloud to his search. Sephiroth wrapped one arm around Genesis’s right shoulder, and then slid an arm under Genesis’s left arm and around his side. He moved in closer, kissing the top of Genesis’s head and then burying his nose in his hair.

“I’ve never seen you this...touchy-feely,” murmured Genesis.

“I have wanted to do this for a long time,” confessed Sephiroth. “But you are so beautiful, and I am so...myself. I knew I could not compete with all the handsome, socially experienced admirers who wanted you.”

“You keep calling me beautiful.” Genesis raised his arms and wrapped them around Sephiroth, sinking his hands into his hair. “Do you even know how radiant you are? You have silver hair, Sephiroth. Silver!”

“Nobody else has silver hair, Genesis. I know how freakish it looks.”

“Oh for fuck’s sake,” sighed Genesis. “Is he like this with you too, Corporal Strife?”

“I’ve tried telling him how hot he is, but he just won’t listen.” Cloud walked over, smiling, Sephiroth’s quick glance revealing the incubus to already be fully erect. “Have you decided on what position you would like? I know penetrative sex is a lot to ask for right now, but it’ll be a lot easier for you to tap into Sephiroth if one of you is literally inside the other. I speak from experience.”

Genesis looked down at Sephiroth’s erection again, and then sighed. “I lack the energy to enjoy fucking someone right now, and I’ll bet quite a few gil I have more experience with taking cock than you, Sephiroth.” He winced. “But I am absolutely not lying on my back.”

“Then we will sit belly to back, and I will lift you.” Sephiroth held Genesis closer, all the better to hide how his cheeks were flushing. Even though he’d done so much with Cloud, forcing himself to speak his clumsy, dry description of sex in front of sauve, poetic Genesis made him feel virginal all over again. “Ah. Up and down. So you can...rest.”

“Good sex is anything but restful.” Genesis leaned forward, and then abruptly pushed Sephiroth away, Sephiroth allowing it. A quick glance revealed Genesis to be still flaccid, and when he spoke, Sephiroth feared he had somehow offended Genesis into rejecting him. “There is one last thing you have to know, you have to accept, if I’m going to have sex with you.” Genesis looked away. “I’d prefer if you never saw it, but I barely have any control over it and it’d be better if you were too disgusted to continue now, than while you’re in the middle of me.”

“He’s not that large,” replied Cloud. His strained smile betrayed his attempt to lighten the mood. “C’mon, get on with it. It’s cold in here and I want to warm up.”

Genesis closed his eyes, breathed in deep, and breathed out slowly. Sephiroth recognized the sight; he’d seen Genesis calm himself before casting powerful, battle-swaying spells. His breathing and heart rate slowed, and then he grunted, face contorting in pain, and there was the scent of blood and a shower of dark gray feathers--

Then, as Genesis slowly opened his eyes, a long, thin wing stretched away from his left shoulder. He smirked at the sight of Sephiroth and Cloud’s wide-eyed shock.

“I suppose this is what Hollander meant by atavistic characteristics. I imagine a mutation is a little too much for even you two--”

“Genesis.” Sephiroth breathed out, and his own wing, glossy black and powerful, unfurled from his right shoulder. He stepped closer to Genesis, touching Genesis’s chest, looking from his wing to Genesis’s. “We are practically a pair.”

Suddenly Cloud was next to them, purring loudly, pressing against Genesis’s side.

“Give me a kiss, Genesis. I have something to show you as well.”

Genesis, silent for once, leaned down to touch his lips to Cloud’s. Smiling, Cloud slid his fingers into Genesis’s hair and kissed him full on the mouth, touching noses to him, breathing in deep, and then kissing the side of his mouth before letting Genesis go. As Sephiroth watched, inky blackness gathered behind Cloud’s shoulders before forming into the beautiful, bat-like wings he knew so well.

“Oh.” Genesis’s voice was breathless, his bright eyes surprisingly wide for the mage who preferred to act as if he’d seen it all. “I see. You were pleasantly shocked, not disgusted.”  

“Mmhm.” Cloud walked and hopped up on the beds he’d pushed together. “I found some ultrasound gel for lube. Want to join me on here and find out how clever I am with my fingers?”

Genesis stared, and then let out a low chuckle. Sephiroth watched with appreciation as he climbed onto the bed, his shirt riding up to reveal more of his toned buttocks. He could just see the soft globes of Genesis’s testicles, and he wondered how Genesis would react if he cupped them gently, caressed--

With a start, Sephiroth looked down and realized he was fully erect, despite the awkward setting and raw emotions on display. When faced with the sight of Cloud kissing Genesis, and the idea of finally coupling with the fiery mage, lust won out no matter how much tenderness was needed.

“Aren’t you going to come join us? You’re kind of important, after all. I don’t think I can feed Genesis on my own.” Cloud moved to the center of the beds, beckoning for Genesis to follow him. When Genesis moved closer, Cloud pressed up against him, his own cock rubbing against the fabric of Genesis’s shirt. “Seph, c’mon.”

Swallowing hard--Cloud’s allure really did not last long, and his erection was not adequate distraction from the important nature of the task at hand--Sephiroth climbed onto the beds. He joined Genesis and Cloud in the center, and after a moment’s hesitation he wrapped his arms around Genesis’s waist. Genesis sighed and leaned back against him, tipping his head back. Cloud snuck a kiss to the undamaged side of Genesis’s throat.

“Do you know what to do?” asked Genesis.

“On a generic level. Cloud has been an excellent teacher.” Sephiroth kissed the tip of Genesis’s ear again. “I also know what I enjoy, but I know little about your preferences.”

“Stay away from my upper left, it’s completely fucked. No pulling my hair unless I ask, and absolutely no biting.” Genesis sagged. “Otherwise, I have to trust you to do this properly. I can feel my illness coming on.”

“Tapping in and feeding on Sephiroth should help that.” Cloud was now rubbing Genesis’s hips, fingers dipping lower with each stroke. “You can make a connection before he’s even in you. Penetration just...opens the floodgates.”

“Except I have no idea to do that,” snapped Genesis. “For an ‘excellent teacher,’ you--”

“Ssh.” Cloud leaned in, lips just a breath away from kissing Genesis’s. “I know, this is new. I’ll help. Sephiroth, touch him, grind against him. Start getting really horny for him.”

“Yes, Corporal Strife.” Sephiroth couldn’t help how his lips twitched into a smile. One of his hands slid up underneath Genesis’s shirt, under his sweater, feeling up the hard muscles of his abdomen and reaching higher, higher until he could rub his thumb over Genesis’s nipple and hear him suck in a breath. Then, slow, slow, giving Genesis time to protest, his other hand reached down and palmed Genesis’s cock, tracing the curve of his shaft and the shape of his cock-head. Genesis gasped louder, though he was still flaccid. “I never thought I would have the chance to do this, Genesis. But I have wanted to hold you like this for years.”

“He wants you. He’s always wanted you.” Cloud shared a look with Sephiroth, and Sephiroth lifted Genesis’s cock so Cloud could rub his erection against Genesis’s cock, smearing his pre on them both. Genesis arched his back, then, biting his lower lip and Sephiroth could feel the blood flowing into his cock. “He’s pressing against you, skin to skin, closer than a materia in its slot. Think of his lust, his need, as a materia you need to tap into.”

Genesis closed his eyes and sighed again, and Sephiroth felt it: the slow, hesitant touch of Genesis’s energy to his own. It was there, inside him, as thin as the brush of eyelashes against his cheek, but Genesis cried out and the touch went away.

“What the Hades is that?!” Genesis panted, face flushed, his nipple pebbling under Sephiroth’s touch. Sephiroth slid his erection against the curve of Genesis’s ass, and the touch of Genesis’s energy came again, still thin and weak yet somehow hot, wanting. “Sephiroth, I can’t control it, I--”

“There is no need.” Sephiroth lipped at Genesis’s ear, giving it a gentle tug before speaking it again. “It is how you feed, as an incubus. Give in.”

Genesis swallowed hard and rose up on his knees, parting his legs, and Sephiroth watched Cloud reach for the gel. Cloud purred, nuzzling against Genesis’s throat, and his glistening fingers slid between Genesis’s thighs. Sephiroth felt a teasing, slick touch to the head of his cock before Genesis cried out again.

“If I--” The brush of energy came again, and then Genesis yanked it away. Genesis extended his wing to the full span, giving Sephiroth an idea. Delicately, Sephiroth brought his wing around, and reading his movements, Cloud gave him just enough room to dip his primaries down and caress the tip of Genesis’s cock. “Gods! Sephiroth, if I hurt y--”

“You won’t. You need it.” Genesis bucked his hips and Sephiroth caught him by the waist, pulling him back and grinding against him, letting him feel how much he wanted this. Genesis shuddered, and by the motion of Cloud’s shoulder Sephiroth knew his fingers were inside of Genesis, working him open. The warmth of Genesis’s energy was there again, smoldering, and Sephiroth could feel him stopping right at the very core of Sephiroth’s energy, holding back. “Give in.”

Genesis shuddered, mouth falling open. Cloud’s fingers left him, leaving him open and dripping, and Sephiroth shuddered and pressed more firmly against Genesis as Cloud reached further back, rubbing a slick hand against Sephiroth’s length. He departed, grabbing the gel, and came back to stroke Sephiroth between Genesis’s legs, smearing pre and gel into one dripping mess. Then, purring, he lowered himself on his hands and knees. Sephiroth heard him kiss down Genesis’s shaft, Genesis moaning with each touch of Cloud’s lips--and then Genesis moaned and jerked, only Sephiroth’s grip on his waist keeping him still.

“G-gods, gods--Sephiroth!”

Sephiroth felt it, felt Genesis give in, his lust sinking into Sephiroth’s very core. Sephiroth pressed the head of his cock to Genesis’s entrance and Genesis reached back, grasping at Sephiroth’s side as if to pull him inside. Heat flowed out from Genesis, washed over Sephiroth’s cock, grew and bloomed inside his core. Moaning himself, Sephiroth thrust into Genesis in one stroke, eyes flying open when Genesis screamed.

“Gen!”

“Do it!” Genesis rocked his hips back against Sephiroth. “Do it again!”

Sephiroth didn’t need to be told twice. Fingers digging into Genesis’s hips, he rutted into him, feeling the pull against his core, almost as sweet, as impossibly pleasurable as the feel of Genesis’s hole dragging against his cock.

The heat inside him grew and the position wasn’t enough, didn’t let him sink in deep enough. Hazy thoughts of his initial promise to Genesis returned to him, and he reached down to push Cloud’s head away from Genesis’s groin. A thin string of saliva stretched from the head of Genesis’s cock to Cloud’s lips, and Sephiroth gave himself a moment to appreciate the sight before grasping Genesis by his thighs and lifting him up. 

“Sephiroth, please--” Sephiroth brought Genesis down onto his cock, sliding in perfectly, forcing out a loud moan from Genesis’s throat. “Ah! F-fuck.”

This was perfect. He could control the speed, the force of his movements, give Genesis everything he wanted, needed. Go in deep and hard, just like Genesis was drawing on him. The heat inside him rose when he lifted Genesis off his cock and was quenched when he brought him down, and each sensation was so achingly perfect Sephiroth moved him up and down over and over again, just to feel him.

He was moving too fast now for Cloud to safely suck on Genesis’s cock. Instead, Cloud held their lengths together, letting Sephiroth’s motions drag the sensitive underside of their cocks over each other. Pre and lube dripped down, made their skin glisten.

The heat grew, eating him up, and Sephiroth felt his arms begin to strain, unable to lift Genesis fast enough to bring them both to the rapidly approaching edge. The idea of letting Genesis down, not giving him the orgasm, the release, he so deserved filled him with fear. It simply could not happen. Grunting, Sephiroth laid Genesis on his hands and knees, Genesis’s head in Cloud’s lap. Cloud cried out when Genesis grabbed his cock and dragged his tongue up the underside, his free hand clawing at Cloud’s hip to bring him closer.

Despite the pretty sight, Sephiroth had other desires to fulfill. He pulled Genesis’s buttocks apart, revealing his pink, stretched-out hole still shining with lube. He thrust into him again, their skin meeting with a wet slap. Each time he filled Genesis with his cock, he jolted Genesis’s head forward, Cloud’s cock sliding in and out of Genesis’s mouth.

It was all perfection, exactly what Genesis needed and Sephiroth would do anything to continue, to give him more, but it was all too much. More and more of the heat was building inside him and then flowing out of him, into Genesis. Genesis was shaking now, his cries growing louder even with Cloud in his mouth, his body clenching around Sephiroth’s cock and drawing more of the heat out, more and more until it all left Sephiroth in one great burst, his vision going white.

When color returned to his vision, Sephiroth felt Genesis’s warm skin under him. He’d fallen forward, onto Genesis. He watched Cloud carefully draw his cock out of Genesis’s mouth, and then wipe away the seed staining Genesis’s lips. Then, murmuring softly, Cloud reached between Sephiroth and Genesis and eased Sephiroth’s cock out of Genesis, eyes widening at the amount of seed spilling out of Genesis’s entrance. 

“Damn, boys.” Cloud’s voice was hoarse. “We’re going to need a break after this.”

Sephiroth meant to agree, but found himself too tired to speak. At the slightest touch from Cloud, he fell onto his side. The infirmary bed felt as soft as a down mattress, and then Genesis was next to him, coaxed into curling against Sephiroth’s side by Cloud before the incubus collapsed onto the mattress as well.

Sephiroth gazed at Genesis’s face, taking in the content smile on his friend’s face. The sight was like taking off his boots after safely arriving in camp, the most instinctual relief. Sephiroth allowed himself to close his eyes and fall asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is literally the filthiest sex scene I've put down to paper. What can I say? My tastes have changed over the years, and it has been years, since I started this fic.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Unprofessional](https://archiveofourown.org/works/3140078) by [VorpalGirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/VorpalGirl/pseuds/VorpalGirl)
  * [Five Times Zack Caught Them Having Sex (And That One Time They Actually Had Pants On)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/3491273) by [VorpalGirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/VorpalGirl/pseuds/VorpalGirl)
  * [Let It Snow](https://archiveofourown.org/works/5512517) by [VorpalGirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/VorpalGirl/pseuds/VorpalGirl)




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